


A Good Thing When You Find It

by clumsygyrl (thegirlthatisclumsy), LovelyPoet



Series: Matchmaker AU [1]
Category: 30STM, All American Rejects, Bandom, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Panic At The Disco, The Hush Sound
Genre: Alternate Universe- Matchmaker Agency, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-17
Updated: 2007-07-17
Packaged: 2017-11-10 16:40:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/468443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegirlthatisclumsy/pseuds/clumsygyrl, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelyPoet/pseuds/LovelyPoet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"You should go out on a date," Gerard tells him.</i>  Mikey gets a life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Good Thing When You Find It

**Author's Note:**

> So... A couple months back while hanging out with [](http://clumsygyrl.livejournal.com/profile)[**clumsygyrl**](http://clumsygyrl.livejournal.com/), I mentioned to her that I wanted to create an AU where Pete Wentz ran a matchmaking service of the "show up here and meet the date I've picked out for you" kind only he's kind of (really) bad at it. She laughed at me a lot. And then we got talking about it more about all the wacky ridiculous pairings that might show up if Pete were in charge of setting people up. And then, well... this happened. Converted from AIM, standard "wonky chatfic POV issues" warning applies.

Title: A Good Thing When You Find It  
Universe: Matchmaker  
Authors: [](http://lovelypoet.livejournal.com/profile)[**lovelypoet**](http://lovelypoet.livejournal.com/) and [](http://clumsygyrl.livejournal.com/profile)[**clumsygyrl**](http://clumsygyrl.livejournal.com/)  
Rating: NC-17  
Summary: _"You should go out on a date," Gerard tells him._ Mikey gets a life.  
Pairing: Mikey/Mike K... Yes, really.  
Word Count: ~7,600

Notes: So... A couple months back while hanging out with [](http://clumsygyrl.livejournal.com/profile)[**clumsygyrl**](http://clumsygyrl.livejournal.com/) , I mentioned to her that I wanted to create an AU where Pete Wentz ran a matchmaking service of the "show up here and meet the date I've picked out for you" kind only he's kind of (really) bad at it. She laughed at me a lot. And then we got talking about it more about all the wacky ridiculous pairings that might show up if Pete were in charge of setting people up. And then, well... this happened. Converted from AIM, standard "wonky chatfic POV issues" warning applies.

When Gerard graduated college and got a job as a graphic designer with the Chicago branch of an advertising firm he’d interned with, Mikey made the move with him. He claimed to be fed up with Jersey and desperate for a change. The changes he got weren’t the kind he was looking for.

He had every intention of transferring the few college credits he’d managed to accumulate between parties and going back to school once he figured out what he wanted to do. Instead, he spent the first two years moving through a series of ill-advised hook-ups and getting just out of control enough that he didn’t notice Gerard getting more so. After he noticed, it was five very long years of watching his brother spiral further into addiction. Eventually, he was spending almost all of his time trying to making sure Gerard didn't drink and snort himself to death. Mikey put his own life on hold, working part-time for minimum wage in an independent bookstore. It was the only place he could find that would let him ditch in the middle of a shift if Gerard called him drunk, strung out or scared beyond reason, huddled on the floor in their shared apartment.

Now Gerard's got a new life. He hit bottom and bounced back onto his feet. He’s clean and sober almost two years, is back to kicking ass at a high paying nine-to-five and a small press publishing house has just published his first book, a novel that’s getting decent reviews. He moved out of the apartment and into a condo he’s sharing with a guy from work, though he’s still giving Mikey money to help pay the rent, every check coming with “I owe you so much more than money” on the memo line. Gerard’s even trying to start dating, using a matchmaker service his new roommate, Frank, told him about so he can avoid the bar scene.

Mikey’s thrilled and relieved and... lost. He gave up his entire life to keep Gerard alive and now Gerard doesn’t need that much from him that way anymore. He doesn't know how to get himself back. When Gerard got to step nine, he spent months apologizing over and over again for everything he did to Mikey and made Mikey feel like he had to do for him. Mikey hugged him and told him not to worry about it. He meant it and means it. Still, he’s not sure what to do now that he can do anything he wants. More than rent money or apologies, Gerard wants to give Mikey a life back.

"You should go out on a date," Gerard tells him. "How long has it been since you've had a date?" Even through the haze he was in for most of the time, Gerard knows that none of the hook-ups that Mikey's had really count as 'dates,’ and there certainly haven’t been any that became relationships.

"You want me to sign up with you for that thing you're doing?" Mikey offers, not thinking too much about it.

"It might be fun." Gerard says "and it couldn't hurt, right?"

Mikey shrugs. "If you think it's a good idea."

Gerard calls Pete back and makes an appointment for Mikey to do the whole survey and interview. It's a ten page survey of questions that Mikey can't figure out why they're important, things like "what's your favorite condiment?" Mikey writes down hoisin sauce. He doesn’t know why it matters, but it is his favorite. Kind of sweet but a little spicy at odd moments. He gets through the whole thing and he hands it in.

He checked the bisexual box. He likes boys best but he really doesn't want to rule out anything on the off chance that there's a girl who's going to make him happy He's just glad they didn't ask for a dna and hair sample.

"Great," Pete says, taking the survey from him. "I'll take a look at this and call you by next week with your first date."

Mikey smiles and feels a little weird. Pete was one of the first guys he hooked up with when he got to the city. It was before Pete billed himself as a matchmaker and even before Gerard started to spiral down. When Mikey still had plenty of time to make his own stupid mistakes. For a little while, he’d thought it was going to turn into something real, but it didn’t take Mikey long to realize Pete wasn’t interested in a relationship with him. Not when Pete was too busy being in love with his best friend.

Pete doesn't look too closely at the survey. He has lots of fond memories of Mikey, almost all of which involve Mikey being kind of slutty. It’s been a few years since they’ve seen each other, and Pete figures he's mostly just tired of exerting effort to finding boys and girls at the clubs so he sets him up with someone who never has any qualms about putting out on the first date.

Mikey is a little grossed out by the first guy Pete sets him up with. Jordan-Bartholomew-Whatever is all hands and lots of bluster. Mikey just goes home with the excuse that he has to check on his cat.

The next day Pete makes a follow-up call and Mikey just mutters that it wasn't quite what he was looking for.

"No problem," Pete says, "wanna try a girl next time around?"

"Sure." Mikey says because Gerard is smiling and happy that he's going out. Mikey doesn't understand really. He's not necessarily sad to be not in a relationship. He is a little lonely though.

Greta doesn't make Mikey feel less lonely. She kind of makes him feel stupid. It's been a long time since he's been out with a girl, and she's not the type he normally went out with - girls who were way more image than substance - she's obviously really smart. He realizes she's gritting her teeth and practically rolling her eyes at him whenever he talks. So Mikey stops talking and he pays for dinner and excuses himself. He gets home and just tells Gerard that maybe he's not cut out for this dating thing.

"Oh come on, Mikey. Everyone has bad dates," Gerard says. "I had to meet a guy at a bar tonight and he was already drunk when I got there. And yes, I left right away. But we can't just give up!"

Mikey doesn't know if the positive thinking is from AA but he figures if it makes his brother happy he can go on a few more dates.

Two months and five "matches" later (the last of whom could have broken Mikey in half with his pinky finger), Mikey's still having complete crap luck. After what’s probably the scariest date he’s ever been on, Mikey calls Gerard, miserable and resigned.

"No, really, Gee... the guy's forarms were the size of my thighs. I think he wanted to break me into little pieces. He kept leaning forward."

Gerard tries not to laugh. He really does. “Maybe he was interested?”

“Yeah, in making a coat out of my skin.”

“Just... give a little while longer,” Gerard pleads and Mikey can’t help but feel a little bitter. After all, it seems like it’s working out ok for Gerard. He keeps talking about some guy named Ryan, who he’s going out with for the seventh time in less than two weeks. Clearly, it’s not the service that’s the problem.

"I fail at this, G," Mikey says sadly. That’s enough to actually upset Gerard. His little brother shouldn't be sad.

"He's a really good guy" Gerard tells Ryan over lunch the next day. Ryan knows he is. Gerard’s never at a loss for wonderful things to say about Mikey.

"Maybe Pete's just not the guy to be looking for someone for Mikey," Ryan suggests.  
.  
Gerard calls Pete and ends up talking to Patrick. "My brother needs someone normal. Please. You know he's a nice guy."

The next date is with... a guy named Mike. Mikey smiles at that. "He's got a nice voice." Mikey says to Gerard the night before.

"I've got a good feeling about this one," Gerard tells Mikey. He doesn't tell him that he called and demanded that they actually read the answers Mikey gave on their ridiculous survey.

The date doesn’t start off any better than any of the others. It’s actually worse if that’s possible. Mikey gets stuck in the revolving door to the restaurant. It’s not his fault. The strap of his messenger bag gets stuck on the push bar. He was trying to make a cool entrance, but Mikey should have learned by now that that’s something he’ll never really accomplish.

Instead of a nice casual introduction, Mikey’s first encounter with Mike is as Mike helps him detangle from the door, laughing at him the whole time. By the time he actually makes it inside the restaurant and they get a table, Mikey's already sure he's completely ruined the date. He apologizes for causing a scene (everyone was *staring* at them) and actually tries to leave before they even order. Why bother sticking around when he's already made an ass of himself?

Mike catches the water glass that gets half knocked over when Mikey tries to get up to leave.

"Hey, uhm, I'd like it if you stayed. Really," Mike says smiling and Mikey bites his lip halfway up and halfway down in his chair.

Mikey shrugs and sits back down. He figures he can just do what he did with Greta and stay quiet until the check comes.

Mike smiles at him and sets the glass in the center of the table. "So, the artwork on your bag. Did you do it yourself?"

Mikey shakes his head. "m’ brother did." He fiddles with the silverware.

"Cool. So, he's an artist then? Comics or something?" Mike asks smiling.

"Graphic designer, likes to draw," Mikey says. Talking about Gerard is a lot easier than talking about himself. "He's a writer, too. He's really talented."

"Yeah? Cool. Do you share some of the same talents?" Mike asks sipping his beer.

"No. I... not really." Mikey shrugs. He tries to think of something to say. "I'm not very good at that kind of stuff." He focuses on the menu, trying to decide on what kind of chicken to order.

"So, what do you like to do?" Mike tries and he thinks dead cow is a really good option. Protein and all.

"Music. I can’t play or sing or anything. But I like shows, being able to get lost in a crowd and be a part of it, you know?" Mikey says, smiling a little.

Mike nods. "No, I totally get that. I play guitar. I mean, nothing super spectacular, but I know what you mean."

That's what Mikey needs to break the ice, he can talk to people who know music, really feel it not just listen. He's still a little awkward, but he actually manages to make eye contact and carry on a conversation between bites of dinner. Five minutes into Mike’s impassioned argument enumerating all the reasons that The Go-Go’s absolutely deserve to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Mikey decides he doesn’t want this to be a one time thing.

When their waiter comes to ask if they'd like coffee or dessert, Mikey's surprises himself by asking if they can see the dessert menu. He’s still not holding out much hope for a second date and he doesn’t want to say goodbye to Mike yet.

Mike nods and eagerly takes the menu when it’s held to him, more than ok with making the night last a little longer. He likes the quiet way that Mikey talks and the surprisingly deep laugh, when he lets himself.

"The mud pie is kind of orgasmic." Mike leans in and smiles as he says it, quiet like it’s a secret. He orders a slice for himself and waits for Mikey.

"Sounds... promising," Mikey says. "I'll have the same." And Mike's right, Mikey's almost embarrassed by the way he moans at the first bite of pie.

Mike laughs a little and points his fork at Mikey. "Told you so." But he's smiling and licking at the corner of his mouth. The chocolate is decadent and Mike loves the sharp crunch of the pie shell.

Mikey's wishing he had picked something different. If he'd ordered something else, he could try to be smooth, ask for a taste of Mike's... and kiss him to get the taste of chocolate on his lips. But he's got his own pie, so all he can do is nod and take another bite.

"Hey," Mike says and he brushes his thumb against the corner of Mikey's mouth. "Missed some." He says and holds up his thumb with a grin.

Mikey makes the decision almost without thinking. He reaches out and wraps his hand around Mike's wrist, draws Mike's hand toward him. He looks steadily at Mike, and lets his tongue swipe away the spot of chocolate, scrapes his teeth against the pad of Mike's thumb. Says, "thanks."

Heat pools in Mike’s stomach, beating a line against his cock. "Shit," he whispers and he can feel the warm circle of Mikey's fingers around his wrist and the coolness of his skin from where Mikey's tongue passed.

"I think I'm ready to go. How about you?" Mikey says, releasing Mike’s wrist and sliding his fingers over his palm. This part, he knows how to do, he’s good at it. Really good.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Mike says and that's a vast understatement. He's ready, really ready for whatever Mikey wants to do with or to him. Patrick had told Mike that Mikey was shy, but he's starting to wonder about Patrick's definition of shy. Because the look Mikey's giving him is pretty fucking bold. Mike takes Mikey's hand and he tosses enough cash on the table for their meal.

"I'm only a few blocks away," Mikey says as soon as they’re outside. He's fighting the urge to just drag Mike into the alley between buildings and drop to his knees for him. Mike's a nice guy and he's really hot. Mikey wants to make him interested in coming back. "Your place is cool if it's closer."

"I'm the other way. Four or five blocks up." Mike says liking the feeling of Mikey's hand in his.

"My place, then." Mikey squeezes his hand tighter around Mike's and starts down the street. Mikey's really only about a block and a half away from the restaurant, it's why he likes to have dates there, he can get home quick whether it's alone or with someone.

Mike likes the neighborhood it's quiet and it's kind of family like. Mikey's place is small, but Mike likes that it's lived in. It feels homey.

"Do you want something to drink?" Mikey asks while Mike looks around. Mike picks up a framed picture and looks at it for a moment before putting it down and turning to look at Mikey.

"No, that's ok,” he says. “Not really thirsty."

Mikey shifts from foot to foot. "So, do you just want to..." He trails off biting his lip and looking toward the bedroom.

Mike steps up closer to Mikey, slips a hand behind his neck and leans in for a kiss. Mikey's mouth opens without hesitation, and Mike fists his other hand in the fabric of Mikey's shirt.

“Yeah, I want to,” He says against Mikey’s mouth.

Mikey pulls away for a second and says, "yeah. Ok." Goes back to kissing him.

"God," Mike murmurs and slides his hand up the back of Mikey's shirt. He feels himself being walked backward toward the bedroom.

Mikey manages to hit the lights on in the bedroom without pulling away from Mike. He tugs at Mike’s belt and, once he's got that out of the way, the button on Mike's pants. Mike grins and loops his arms around Mikey's neck and presses close.

"You're wearing too much." Mike says against Mikey's neck.

"Yeah, you too," Mikey says, tugging Mike's shirt free from the waist band of his pants. "God, I want- Get this off." Mikey pulls away long enough to skim his own shirt off over his head. He wants Mike's hands on his skin.

Mike pushes his jeans down and off. He pushes Mikey back onto the bed and groans. "Look at you. Fuck," he whispers.

Mikey wiggles out of his pants and kicks them off the end of the bed. "C'mere," He says, sliding an arm around Mike's waist and pulling him down. Mike moves to take off Mikey's glasses, but Mikey shakes his head.

"Wanna be able to see. Without them, might as well turn off the lights."

Mike smiles and he kisses Mikey. "'kay." He starts moving against Mikey. The both of them groan when their cocks touch through the twin layers of their shorts.

Arching up under Mike, Mikey slides his hands down his back and pulls their hips together tighter. He twists away from Mike's kiss to gasp, "do you want...? I want to suck you. Can I?"

Mike shivers and nods, twisting to lie down, tugging Mikey over him. "Yeah, fuck yes."

Mikey grins and licks his lips. He pushes his hair out of his eyes, and stares down at Mike spread out for him. He peels Mike's boxers down over his hips and palms his cock. Mike bucks up against his hand and Mikey leans down, breathing hot over Mike's stomach.

"Ready?"

"God, yes." Mike says and it's a prayer. A prayer for divine intervention. He really doesn't think he's going to last.

Mikey braces one arm across Mike's hips, licks a long stripe up the shaft of Mike's cock before taking him deep, He's tempted to close his eyes and just lose himself in it, but he doesn't. Instead he looks up to watch Mike's face.

Mike's body bows up, eyes closing tight as his body rolls up trying to get his cock deeper into the tight warmth of Mikey's mouth. He wants to tell Mikey how good this feels, how good he's doing, but all Mike can manage are broken moans that he hopes Mikey knows are supposed to be his name.

Mikey draws back, letting his tongue flicker and tease before sliding back down. Mike's thighs are twitching under his hand, and Mikey knows he could hold back and make this last all night if he wanted to.

Mike doesn't usually beg, but he will in this instance.

"Mikey, fuck. Just," Mike wishes he had the competency for speech or coherent thought. A tall order with a pretty boy's mouth around your dick.

Mikey hums low. He lets go of Mike's thigh so he can press a finger just behind Mike's balls, braces for the way he knows it's going to make Mike buck further into his mouth.

Mike doesn't hold back. He doesn't think he has to. His body arches and thrusts into Mikey's mouth, groaning loudly.

Mikey closes his eyes and focuses on the feel of Mike filling his mouth. He slides his free hand up Mike's chest to stroke over a nipple. Mike gasps and Mikey can feel the tension coiling everywhere he's touching.

Mike barely gets out Mikey's name before he grabs at the sheets. His fingers somehow tangle with Mikey's and he squeezes. His eyes open wide and he arches in a sharp bow as he starts to come.

Swallowing down the salt taste, Mikey doesn't let up right away, not until Mike's whimpering and twitching, actually pushing him away. Mikey licks his lips and presses them against Mike's stomach. "Was that ok?"

Mike gives him a look and wraps his fingers in Mikey's hair, tugging him up for a hard fierce kiss. "What do you think?" Mike says, hand still in Mikey's hair.

"Pretty good," Mikey says, reaching down to wrap a hand around his own cock. He's willing to take care of himself, but he'd prefer if Mike's involved. He moans long and low when Mike nudges his wrist aside, his fingers lacing with Mikey's.

"You can... We can," Mike says spreading his legs a little and sliding his leg over Mikey's hip.

Mikey whimpers guiding Mike's hand on him. He's further gone than he thought, it's probably not going to take more than a little bit of friction, and he turns his head to tell Mike as much, but before he can say anything, Mike's kissing him, licking into his open mouth.

Mike sucks at Mikey's lower lip, thumb gliding over the tip. He wants to make Mikey come, make him feel good.

Mikey can't stop kissing him, tongue and teeth bumping, graceless. He's past the point of even trying to be smooth about anything, the way Mike's hand is wrapped tight around him, taking control.

"God, want to do so many things to you," Mike whispers against Mikey's mouth. Mike wants to feel Mikey against him, in him.

"You can - anything," Mikey gasps, "whatever you want." He can't keep himself still, back arching. He's coming before he even realizes it's happening, spilling over onto Mike's hand and his own stomach with something between a moan and a scream. Mike kisses him, swallowing Mikey's moans and stroking him till Mikey's slumped against him. Mikey closes his eyes and slides his arm over Mike's chest. He waits for Mike to pull away, enjoying the contact for as long as he can.

"Do you? I mean, you can stay for the night. If you want." It's not an offer he usually makes.

Mike tips his face up and he smiles, eyes crinkling. "I'd like to." He says and nuzzles Mikey's cheek. "I'd like that a lot."

"Yeah?" Mikey says, not able to completely hide his surprise. "Ok, I'm just going to, um..." He gestures at Mike's hand on his stomach, both still sticky. "Bathroom... washcloth." Mikey presses a quick kiss against Mike's throat before he slides out of the bed and leaves the room.

Mike lies back, smiling in satisfaction. He does laugh a little when he feels the first drops against his stomach. "Hey!"

"Hmm, sorry," Mikey says. He hands the washcloth over and crawls back into bed, watching Mike wipe himself down. He's just tired enough that he doesn't think before he rolls closer to Mike and says, "This was a good date."

"Yeah," Mike says grinning. He can't seem to stop. "Best I've had since I started this thing." He yawns. "Have to send Pete an email."

"Yeah," Mikey says sleepily, finally taking his glasses and setting them on the table by his bed. As he drifts off to sleep it's to thoughts of dragging Mike into his shower in the morning.

Mike tucks himself around Mikey yawning and falling asleep rather quickly. He likes Mikey's bed. Moreover he likes Mikey.

******

In the morning, the first thing Mikey’s aware of is Mike, sitting on the edge of the bed with his hand light on his arm.

“Hey, hey, I’ve gotta get going. Have to go home before work,” Mike says.

Mikey rolls over, still half asleep, and reaches out an arm to tug Mike down. “Fuck work. Work sucks. Stay.” He mutters.

Mike worms out of Mikey’s grasp, laughs and shakes him until he’s sure he’s awake.

“Ok, ok, what?” Mikey grumbles and reaches blindly for his glasses. He sits up and wraps his arms around Mike from behind. “Hi. Morning.”

“Hi,” Mike leans back against Mikey for a few seconds. “I have to go.”

“You said that already,” Mikey sighs and presses an open mouthed kiss against Mike’s shoulder. “I think you’d have more fun if you stayed here.”

Mike’s sure he’s right, and the way Mikey’s hand is sliding down his chest makes it an incredibly tempting offer. He likes Mikey warm against his back and the scratch of fingernails against his skin enough that it almost seems like a good idea to call in sick to work, fake a cold and stay in Mikey’s bed all day. “I really can’t.”

“Oh.” Mikey unwinds himself from around Mike and falls back on the bed with his eyes closed. “Ok. So.”

“Do you have plans for tonight?” Mike strokes his hand down Mikey’s arm and twines their fingers. “I’ve got an extra ticket for the show at the Metro.”

“Who’s playing?” Mikey cracks one eye.

“Does it matter?” Mike shrugs and hopes Mikey will be more interested in the company than the band.

“No,” Mikey says, thinking about being able to press up against Mike in the crowd, sweaty and exhausted with the bass and drums pounding like his heartbeat. “Not really.”

“Good.” Mike squeezes Mikey’s hand and rubs his thumb over the back of Mikey’s wrist. “Good. It’s a date. I’ll call you this afternoon.”

He does.

******

After the first couple weeks, Mikey's expecting Mike to stop calling to make plans and to start avoiding his calls.

He doesn’t.

They see each other three, four, sometimes five times a week and, to Mikey’s surprise, they don’t *always* end up having sex. Still, he doesn't really think about the possibility that he's in an honest to god relationship, even when Gerard mentions it when Mikey drops by for lunch with him and Ryan.

"So when are you and the boyfriend going to come over for dinner?" He asks and Mikey gives him that long slow blink that Gerard's come to know as, 'Please repeat yourself, brother dear.' Gerard clarifies. "The guy with the same name as you that you've been seeing exclusively for the past two months."

“It’s not like that,” Mikey says, flushing a little. Maybe he’s been talking about Mike a little more than he should have if that’s what Gerard thinks. Sure, they've got a good thing going, getting together for dinner, sex, movies, video games, sex, concerts...sex. Ok, they end up having sex most of the time, and Mikey's having an amazingly good time. He doesn't want to ruin it by trying to turn it into something it isn't. “It’s casual. Not really even dating. Just... you know. Fun.”

Ryan pats Mikey's arm. "Okay, if you say so, hon."

They drop the subject.

Mikey leaves pretty soon after that but can't get stop thinking about it, wanting this to be something real. He's dazed and fumbly when he meets Mike for a show that night. It’s the most nervous he’s been around Mike since the first night.

Mike sets his hand on the back of Mikey's neck, rubbing his thumb under Mikey's ear. "Hey, you ok?"

Mikey nods with a forced jerk of his head. "Yes. Yeah, I'm okay."

Mike knows that's a lie, but he leaves it. He kisses Mikey's cheek. "Okay, I'm here if you want to talk." He reaches for Mikey's hand as they walk toward the open lawn. Mikey shoves his hands in his pockets, dodging the questioning look Mike gives him. Mike nods and he tucks his own hands into his pockets. He's not sure what's up, but he knows he doesn't like this.

Mikey tries to lose himself in the music when the first band starts, but every time he's almost out of his own head, he catches himself looking at Mike and wanting... something. He's just not sure what it is.

Mike is smiling and bobbing his head to the beat. Some of the bands aren't half bad. He feels Mikey watching him but every time he looks over Mikey looks away.

Between the third and fourth sets, Mikey finally speaks. "Gerard - my brother," Mikey starts, then feels stupid, because Mike knows his brother's name, the way Mikey talks about him all the time. He continues anyway. "He wants to meet you. He asked me to invite you to dinner. I tried to explain to him that we're not..." and he waves vaguely, not sure how to finish.

"We're not... flying? Swatting insects?" Mike says smiling and teasing a bit.

Mikey closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Might as well just say it. "We're not anything serious."

Mike stops smiling. "We're not anything serious." He repeats it. He has to. "I see."

Mikey hates, really hates this part. Mike’s annoyed with him, he can tell, and he probably shouldn’t have said anything at all. But he wanted so badly for Gerard to have been right. Obviously, he wasn't. "I mean, it's ok. I explained what we’ve got. He just assumed...we’re like boyfriends or something. You don't have to worry about it, he'll let it go. It doesn't have to change anything. We can still have fun. Right?"

Mike shakes his head and he pushes Mikey. He doesn't do it hard. "You are... I swear." He hauls Mikey in and kisses him. "You're mine." Is all he can manage before kissing Mikey again, hard.

Mikey's not sure what's going on, but it's just instinctual to wrap himself around Mike and kiss back. It takes a few seconds for Mike's words to filter through. He pulls back, "wait, what did you say?"

"Mine," Mike says frowning a little and cups the back of Mikey's head. "This is serious. We're serious. I don't date anyone else but you. I am just sleeping with you. I see you pretty much every day, Mikey." He kisses Mikey again, this time a bit more gently. "Please buy a clue here. Or am I just reading too much into stuff?"

"No." Mikey shakes his head. He wraps his arms tighter around Mike, tucking his face against his neck. "Not reading too much into stuff. I wanted, but I just... I didn't think. I've never been anyone's something serious."

Mike wraps his arms around Mikey, sliding his hands under Mikey's shirt. "You're my someone. My Mikey." He whispers and kisses his ear. "All mine. 'm not sharing." Mike says smiling.

"M'neither," Mikey laughs, and that's not enough, he needs to actually say it himself. "I don't wanna share you, either. I wanna take you to dinner at Gerard's and tell him you're my boyfriend. He's going to threaten you, probably." He's started laughing and he can't stop. "Him and Ryan both. Just nod and pretend they're intimidating, and sit next to me and don't let Gerard talk you into doing the dishes. Will you come to dinner on Monday night?"

"Of course, I'd love to," Mike says grinning. Mikey knows that smile, it's the one where Mike's eyes disappear and his smile is so bright it's almost hard to look at. But it's directed at him so it's... it's perfect. Mike kisses Mikey again. "I'll even bring sparkling apple cider. It's a celebration after all."

"I should call. Gerard, I mean. I have to tell him he was right. He's going to laugh at me and say I told you so forever."

Mike grins and takes Mikey's hand, not waiting for or letting him put them in his pockets. "Well, let's go back to your place and have sex then you can call him all post coital. It'll scar him to know you were having sex right before."

"Mmm, ok," Mikey says, tightening his fingers around Mike's. He's not entirely sure but he thinks he might be a little bit in love...maybe. And he thinks it's possible that when he's ready to say so, Mike might just say it back.

****

Mike spends all day Sunday reading Gerard’s book. He’s nervous when Mikey shows up to pick him up Monday after work. He wants to make a good impression. Mike knows this is important. Gerard’s like an ambassador, Mike’s foot in the door to the good graces of the rest of the Way family, if he does good here...

Mikey's confused why he's worried. They're just going to order pizza or chinese or something

"He's your brother, Mikey," Mike says, a little frazzled, Mikey's not used to seeing Mike like this. "He's important to you and you're important to me. I've got to make a good impression. I trimmed by beard for this!"

Mikey did notice that. "But... how could anyone not like you?"

Mike stops and he smiles at that. He kisses Mikey. "You're sweet, but really. Come on. The blue or the black shirt?"

"I like how you look in blue." Mikey's not nervous at all for once. He knows that all Gerard wants is for him to be happy, and he is.

Mike pulls on the blue shirt and grabs a suit jacket instead of a hoodie. "Okay. I think, I think I'm okay."

"Oh for fucks sake," Mikey tugs at Mike's jacket, rolling his eyes. "You're going to my brother's. Gerard has the entire box set of Star Trek, a notebook dedicated to D&D and a pair of Spiderman pajamas. If we're lucky, he's remembered to do laundry and will be wearing pants. Wear a hoodie."

*****

After almost a year they’ve settle into something that Mikey never expected to have. Mike is... steady. He doesn't mind reminding Mikey where he left his keys or his glasses. Mike will drop by the bookstore with bagged lunches for both of them and sit and eat sandwiches and potato chips with him. Mikey’s sure now that he loves him a lot, though he still doesn’t actually say it often, like that would jinx it.

Six months in, he got a tattoo for Mike, without telling him. Not his name, he knows better than that. He takes Frankie and Mike’s friend Chris with him and comes home with a chord on his left wrist (the first chord of the first song Mike taught him on his battered Martin). It's small. Small enough that he can hide it under his watchband if he wants to when he goes to work. He almost never wants to cover it. It’s right on the spot where Mike likes to rub his thumb when they hold hands, to kiss when they’re in public to tell him it’s time to get home so he can kiss other places.

Mikey feels more sure of himself and settled with Mike. He likes how he is around Mike. It's almost like how being around his parents and Gerard made him feel before... everything. Except maybe this thing with Mike is even better than anything else that came before. Better than family, because Mike doesn't act like it's about looking out for him or making anything up to him. Mike's just there because he WANTS to be, there's no obligation at all. Mikey's never had anyone who really seemed to just genuinely want to be with him.

Mike likes this thing that’s developed with Mikey. He thinks Mikey's wonderful and sweet and caring. He knows Mikey just needs his own chance to shine and Mike wants to give that to him. They’ve talked about it, some, the fact that Mikey's spent his whole life kind of just following along behind Gerard, and not really trying anything without double checking it with everyone until he found someone willing to talk him out of it. Mike’s careful not to talk him out of anything. Not even in that subtle, mostly harmless "are you sure that's a good idea?" way. Mike just shrugs and smiles and says "if you wanna try, go for it."

That’s how Mikey finally ends up back in school. The course catalog for Chicago State University showed up in the mail at Mikey’s apartment, addressed to a former tenant. Mike watched him put it in the pile of junk mail to be tossed, but in the morning it was sitting on the kitchen table with a few pages dog eared. Mikey blushed and stammered when Mike asked him about it.

“I didn’t mean to quit school,” He said the next day, when Mike found him looking through it again, and Mike just stood behind him and rubbed his shoulders. Three weeks later, Mikey had sent in his application and a few weeks after that, his acceptance letter came.

The only problem, Mikey realizes is that he can’t keep working full-time at the bookstore. He’s already not actually covering all his bills and he just... can’t ask Gerard for more money. Within a couple weeks of classes starting, he’s stressing over bills and staying up late studying. He's not getting as much time with Mike as either of them would like, even though Mike's coming over every night. Usually he ends up falling asleep sprawled half-way across Mikey’s bed before Mikey even finishes studying. They haven’t had sex in almost a week.

“Crap,” Mikey sighs, snuggling up against Mike and trying to sleep. He feels like he's failing at being a good boyfriend. He might be new to the whole thing, but he’s pretty sure they should actually be spending time together while conscious.

“I’m gonna be really busy,” Mikey tells Mike the next morning, rushing to get out the door in time for his first class of the day. “I”m sorry.”

“No problem,” Mike shrugs. He keeps showing up every night, he’s stopped even calling to see if it’s ok. He just appears at the door and stays until the morning.

Mikey loves that there's a Mike dent in his bed now even if all he can serve Mike for dinner is mac and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches made out of Wonderbread and Kraft singles.

Sometimes Mike shows up with take-out, there's a thai place on the way from work. If he gets there before Mikey's home from class he waits out on the step. He doesn't want to be pushy and ask Mikey for a key to the apartment even though he thinks it would be reasonable at this point. Mikey's got a copy of the key to his place even though it's kind of dumpy and even smaller than Mikey's and they never spend any time there. Mike wanted him to have it.

Mikey keeps thinking he should maybe ask Mike to move in with him. It might be too forward. He doesn't want to rush things but it would be a help financially. And he thinks he might want to live with Mike. He wants to talk to Gerard about it but Gerard's got his own stuff going on with Ryan.

Mikey gets up in the morning on a Saturday and Mike's already awake and in the kitchen. He's sitting at the table in his boxers with fresh mugs of coffee. He slides one of them across the table to Mikey and it's made exactly right.

Mikey stares at it for a long time and the words just tumble out.

"Stay." When Mike looks up, Mikey blushes and he sits up. "You should stay. Not go back. Ever."

Mike's eyes go wide and he can't stop the grin. "Are you going to hold me hostage?"

Mikey shakes his head and he stares down at his hands. "I... I want you with me. I don't sleep as well when you're not here. I can't offer you a lot, but I want us to be together."

"Hey," Mike says. He reaches across the table and grabs Mikey's hands. "You know I want that, too. What's this you can't offer me a lot crap? What do you think I need?"

"I'm..." Mikey swallows hard. "All I have is this shitty apartment and maybe eventually I’ll have a degree if I don’t fuck it up. I work part-time in a bookstore and... And I'm really fucking broke." He looks up from staring at their joined hands. "You could do better." He whispers.

"Well... if that's what you're looking at, so could you," Mike says. "I've got my shitty apartment and a sort of ok paying job and I'm not exactly rolling in money. I guess I should be happy you're willing to settle for me."

"Settle for..." Mikey gapes at him and shakes his head. "You... you're everything anyone could want."

"You're kind of missing the point here, Way. I'm saying I'm not settling for you anymore than you're settling for me. I don't want you for what you've got, ok. I'm fucking in love with you, and I'm like... more than half way moved in already if you haven't noticed."

Mikey blinks and looks around. Mike's smiley face coffee mug on the coffee tree. Mike's set of blue plates in the drying rack. Mike's shirts are hanging in Mikey's closet. "Oh. Um. Me too. Love you, I mean. I do. We... we should get the rest of your stuff. Soon." He smiles and ducks his head a little.

"Yeah," Mike nods seriously for a second before breaking into a grin. "Especially since my lease is up in two weeks."

****

They spend the next two weekends wandering through empty apartments, checking water pressure in the showers and making sure the floors don't squeak and asking about the noise traveling through walls. Mikey keeps stepping into the shower and trying to get Mike to stand with him. Just to make sure that they'll fit. They rule out anything that's only got a shower stall right away and Mikey’s very insistent about thick walls.

Mikey blushes when Gerard offers to buy them a new bed.

"He's willing to pay for a king-size, you'll get over being weirded out," Mike tells him.

Mikey glazes over at the thought of having Mike in a bed they could really roll around in.

Mike grins and tells Gerard that they'll take it. Mikey smiles and hopes he’ll eventually be able to look at his brother without turning bright red.

It’s about a month after they start looking that they finally find a place. It's perfect for them. It's a nice neighborhood and close to campus. Two bedrooms. Mike insisted, "living together doesn't mean we always are gonna want to be in each other's space."

Mikey has to agree with that, but he can't see himself not wanting to be with Mike. The “guest room” turns into storage for the stuff they can't really figure out what to do with.

Mikey loves the idea of living with Mike, but he’s still on edge about screwing everything up. It’s a habit he can’t quite break. And if it happens now it means either he’s going to be left with a lease he really can’t afford or he’s going to end up with nowhere to go. He spends the first two weeks trying to be the perfect boyfriend. Sex, making dinner, and being super neat.

"Did I miss when we crossed the border into Stepford?" Mike says when he walks in to find Mikey folding socks fresh out of the laundry.

Mikey's books are spread out over the coffee table surrounded by their laundry. "What?" He asks, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"This," Mike waves vaguely, "Didn't you do laundry like... two days ago?"

"I... well, yes. But you were running out of clean socks," Mikey mumbles.

"I'm a big boy, Mikey. I can do my own laundry when I need to." Mike's trying not to be annoyed, but he didn't sign on to live with a housewife. He can wash his own socks and it's not a tragedy if he has to go without for a day or two.

Mikey bites his lip. "Sorry. I... I just don't want to fuck this up."

Mike sometimes forgets that Mikey spent a long time taking care of Gerard and he’s got almost nothing to compare this to. "Me neither, but c'mon. Is this really what you want to be doing right now? matching up socks?"

Mikey's lips twitch a little. "It's kind of calming, actually." He shrugs and laughs. "Better than Philosophy."

"Mmm," Mike looks at the text book. "There are probably even better ways to calm down."

Mikey starts to smile. "Yeah? What do you have in mind?"

Mike shrugs a little and shoves the laundry off the couch so he can settle in next Mikey. "I've got a few ideas."

"Hmmm, do these idea require nudity?" Mikey turns and smiles leaning in for a kiss.

"It helps," Mike mumbles against Mikey's lips and tugs at the button on his jeans. "Awful hard to fuck otherwise."

Mikey groans and he presses Mike back against their tiny little couch. "You're going to get a cramp in your back again if we fuck out here." He says already tugging Mike's shirt off.

"Maybe," Mike says, kicking off his shoes (and ok, fine, he WAS out of socks, not the point) and working his hand down behind Mikey's zipper. "Might be worth it anyway"

"We have that huge bed," Mikey says against Mike's mouth. He loves their bed and their soft, soft sheets. He really loves Ryan for insisting and buying them a million thread count sheets.

Mike just lets Mikey kiss him for a minute, and yeah, the couch isn't that comfortable for this.

"Yeah, bed," Mike pushes Mikey away so he can stand up, managing to walk toward the bedroom and take his pants off at the same time, without tripping.

Mikey admires the gracefulness of the gesture and he doesn't even try that. He stands in the doorway and strips off his clothes watching Mike crawl on the bed.

“C’mere,” Mike says, sprawling across the sheets.

Mikey goes, letting Mike take his glasses off and set them aside. He doesn't need them for this anymore.


End file.
